Briefly: Apple seeks game artists; Apple TV prep begins at retail

Apple has cast its net wider in the hunt for game developers. Meanwhile, batches of Sony's LCD flat screens are accumulating in Apple retail shops ahead of the company's Apple TV roll-out. And Fibre Channel Utility 2.1.4 is now available.

Search expands for in-house game dev staff

Not satisfied with its existing teams, Apple has begun canvassing schools in a search for junior additions to its swelling game development workforce.

Students at the Savannah College of Art and Design reported today receiving an e-mail from a recruiter working directly for Apple, Inc., who appears to be actively tracking down skilled graphics designers among those enrolled in the school's Fine Arts programs. Those hired for the summer program would be tasked with creating "consistent, high quality 3D and 2D art for games," the message said.

Conspicuously absent from the notice was any mention of a specific platform for the games in question.

The Cuperrino-based Apple has shown a steadily burgeoning interest in games ever since it revealed its first two homemade games for the fifth-generation iPod, Texas Hold'em and Vortex, back in September.

Prudential analyst Jesse Tortora claimed to have caught Apple expanding its staff in December. In turn, a slip of the tongue by a former Microsoft alumnus turned PopCap Games exec has also pointed to casual games as a new feature of the Apple TV, which may include first-party titles.

Sony sets in Apple stores point to Apple TV launch

Speaking of Apple TV, Apple's retail stores this week began receiving small batches of Sony LCD TVs in preparation for the device's launch a bit later this month. Sneaking past a retail outlets' storage area, an intrepid shopper snapped this photo of several 32-inch sets from Sony's Bravia line that will soon become part of the retail stores' Apple TV displays.

32-inch Sony Bravias arrive at Apple retail stores.

The particular model showing up at the stores, Sony's premium KDL-V32XBR2, is the exact same version used by Apple to promote its eponymous Apple TV wireless streaming video hub through its website. The XBR2 was also used to promote the Apple TV device at Apple's booth during the January Macworld Conference.

The shipments appear to corroborate Apple's recent claim that it will not stray from a February release. An exact timeframe for the arrival of the devics remains up in the air, however.

Fibre Channel Utility 2.1.4

Also this week, Apple released Fibre Channel Utility 2.1.4 [500K], which provides the ability to configure the Apple Fibre Channel PCI Cards including the Apple Dual- and Quad-Channel 4Gb Fibre Channel Card.